Station indicator



June 3, 1930. A. MCMILLAN STATION INDICATOR Filed Jan. 1'7, 1929 lill/[111111111111111]nl INVENToR. 'Q Ngw lys/7:1174' Patented June 3, 1930 UNrrsD STATES ANGUS MCMILLAN, OF WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA STATION INDICATOR Application filed January 17, 1929. Serial No. 333,126.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a station indicator adapted for use in indicating the stations or stops of a public vehicle such as street cars, trains and the like. The device may also be used for advertising purposes as well as a station indicator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of this class which will be l0 simple in structure, economical of manufacture and highly eilicient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of power driven means for causing the iexible display member to wind and unwind on spools.

' Another object of the invention is means for making the power driven means to rapidly wind the flexible display member on one of the spools.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 Vis a fragmentary side elevational view ofvone of the spools with parts broken away and parts shown in section.

In the drawings, I have illustrated the de- 35 vice inclosed in a housing 7 which may be mounted in a public vehicle in any desired place so that the front wall 8 which is provided with the opening 9 closed by the transparent closure 10, may be visible to the oc- 40 cupants of the vehicle. The mounting of the various spools is the same and a description of one will suffice for both. A pair of spools 11 and 12 are used in the invention, each of these spools having an end flange 13 and 14. Formed in one end of the spools is a socket 15 in which engages the squared end 16 of a shaft17,this shaft 17 being suitably journaled in a bearing 18 mounted in the housing. Journaled in a bearing 19 and projecting inwardly from the wall of the housing is a shaft 2O having a pin. 2l which projects diametrically'therefromand engages in the slots 22 formed in the sleeve 23 in which is positioned a spring 24. A squared end 25 projects from the end of the sleeve 23 and engages in a sockety 26 formed in the end of the spool. This method of mounting permits easy and quick removal of the spool from position and an axial movement .of the sleeve 23 against the pressure of they spring 24 permitting disengagement of the squared end 16 from the socket 15.

Wound upon these spools is a flexible mem ber 27 on which the stations are displayed or on which advertising matter and similar printed matter may be displayed. vThis member 27 passes around idlers 28 and 29 so as to retain the member 27 in position behind the transparent closure 10. An electric motor 30 connectedto a suitable source of electrical energy isprovided with a shaft 31 on which is positioned a gear wheel 32. The gear wheely 32 rotates in unison with the shaft 31 but is axially movable thereon. A collar 33 is carried by the wheel 32 andv engaged by the' arms of a rockably mounted yoke 34 which projects through the opening 35 formed in the housing so that the gear 32 may be moved into mesh with the pinion 36 which meshes with a gear 37 iixedly mounted on the shaft 20, or the gear 32 may be moved into position for meshing with the gear 38 which is iXedly mounted on the shaft 20', this shaft 20 corresponding to the shaft 20.

F iXedly mounted on the shaft 39 which extends inwardly from the bearing 40 is a gear 41 meshing with a gear 42 iiXedly mounted on the shaft 17 which corresponds to the shaft 17 described. A gear 43 is fiXedly mounted on the shaft 17 and meshes with the gear 41. FiXedly mounted on the shaft 17 is a gear 44 connected by a chain 45 which projects through the opening 46 formed in the housing 7 to a gear 47 which may be mounted in any convenient place so that the shaft 48 on which the gear 47 is tiXedly mounted may be rotated by the detachable crank 49.

In use, the motor 30 may be timed to correspond to the running speed of the vehicle so that the flexible display member 27 will travel between the transparent closure 10 so as -to display the matter printed thereon atV proper times, or, if desired, the motor 30 may be provided with switches so that the flexibleY member 27 may be caused to travel to its various positions at the desired times, depending upon the judgment of the operator.

When'the gear V32 is moved into mesh Withy K Y' Y the gear 38 a rapid rewinding of the flexible member 27 on the spool V11 will be eiieoted.'

Should,-ifor any reason,l the' motor 30" bei come inoperative, the crank 49 may be used for rotating these spools to desired positions:

While I have illustrated and describedthe p u preferred form of myV inventiornI do'knot Wishkto limitA myselfto the precise detail of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come vvithin the scope of the appended claim;

l Having'thus'ide'soribed my invention, Wha-t v Ifelfam'a's'nevvand desireto secure by Letters Patent is: V Y

In a devie' of the class described va hous- V ing" having end Walls; a bearing? mounted tions, the slidable movement of said sleeve on CIF:

in eachof said end vvalls; a' shaft projectinginvvardly froml eaoh of said bearings; a sleeve slidably mounted on one end of oneof said shafts, said sleeve having elongatedn longitudinally oppositely positioned slots formed 30 therein g a spring positioned in said 4sleeve and normally resisting slldable movement of the same on itsfshaft a pin projected through Y said shaft and engaging in saidslots; a reduced portion on thel end Of saidrsleeve; a

rededpo'rtion on the end of the other shaft;

and a'spool having a soeketformed in oppositee'nds forreception of said reduced poritsfshaft eiectinga disengagement ofi'ts reduoed portion fromsaids'oeket. u v

In testimony whereof I have signed-the foregoing speecatin.

Ansus MMI'LL. 

